BILL NUMBER: ACR 159	CHAPTERED  05/15/00

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER   62
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   MAY 15, 2000
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY   MAY 11, 2000
	ADOPTED IN SENATE   MAY 8, 2000
	AMENDED IN SENATE   MAY 8, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   MAY 4, 2000

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Hertzberg
   (Coauthors:  Assembly Members Aanestad, Ackerman, Alquist, Aroner,
Ashburn, Baldwin, Baugh, Bock, Brewer, Briggs, Cardenas, Cedillo,
Corbett, Correa, Cox, Cunneen, Davis, Dickerson, Ducheny, Dutra,
Firebaugh, Gallegos, Havice, Honda, House, Jackson, Kaloogian,
Keeley, Knox, Kuehl, Leach, Lempert, Leonard, Longville, Machado,
Maddox, Maldonado, Margett, Mazzoni, McClintock, Migden, Nakano,
Oller, Robert Pacheco, Rod Pacheco, Papan, Pescetti, Reyes, Romero,
Scott, Shelley, Steinberg, Strickland, Strom-Martin, Thompson,
Thomson, Torlakson, Villaraigosa, Vincent, Wayne, Wesson, Wiggins,
Wildman, Wright, and Zettel)
   (Coauthors:  Senators Alarcon, Alpert, Bowen, Brulte, Burton,
Chesbro, Dunn, Escutia, Hayden, Haynes, Hughes, Johannessen, Johnson,
Johnston, Karnette, Kelley, Knight, Leslie, Lewis, McPherson,
Monteith, Morrow, Mountjoy, Murray, O'Connell, Ortiz, Peace, Perata,
Polanco, Poochigian, Rainey, Schiff, Sher, Solis, Soto, Speier,
Vasconcellos, and Wright)

                        APRIL 27, 2000

   Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 159--Relative to the
independence of Israel.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 159, Hertzberg.  Israel's independence.
   This measure would congratulate Israel on 52 years of statehood.




   WHEREAS, The date of 5 Iyar of the year 5760 in the Jewish
calendar, or May 10, 2000, in the western calendar, marks the 52nd
anniversary of the independence of the State of Israel and is a time
for both celebration and retrospection; and
   WHEREAS, The past half century has been a vitally important part
of the almost 4,000 years of Jewish history because the State of
Israel has been reborn, and has been able to welcome Jews from every
corner of the globe to build a modern democracy, one of the most
technologically advanced nations in the world; and
   WHEREAS, Israel's population has grown nearly tenfold since its
founding in 1948, from 600,000 to some 6,000,000 today, including
some 1,000,000 Arabs who enjoy equal rights in the political, social,
and economic life of the country; and
   WHEREAS, Israel is committed to continually welcoming immigrants
from all over the world, including immigrants from the former Soviet
Union, Ethiopia, Europe, and the Americas, totalling over 800,000
immigrants in the 1990's alone, a higher rate than any other country;
and
   WHEREAS, Science and technology represent a significant portion of
Israel's economy with over 1,000 high technology startup companies,
a work force that has more scientists and engineers per capita than
any other country, one of the world's highest rates of investment in
research and development, and high technology exports that comprise
40 percent of Israel's total industrial exports; and
   WHEREAS, Since Israel's rebirth 52 years ago, it has been one of
the United States' closest allies, and has been a bedrock of
stability, democracy, and modernity in the Middle East, and the two
countries share basic values, including the commitment to pluralism
and cultural diversity; and
   WHEREAS, Israel has demonstrated its total commitment to the peace
process, and the United States looks forward to only strengthening
its relationship to the Jewish state within the context of a Middle
East graced with peace and prosperity; and
   WHEREAS, California and Israel have developed extensive and
mutually beneficial trade and commercial relations, and Israel has
been a vital economic partner with California, with especially good
cooperation in the high technology and agricultural sectors; and
   WHEREAS, The rebirth of the State of Israel marked the realization
of the Jewish people's 2,000-year-old yearning to return to their
home as a free people, and their dream envisions Israel standing side
by side in friendship and peace with all of its neighbors; now,
therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature congratulates Israel on 52
years of statehood; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the Governor and to the author for appropriate
distribution.
